Service meter



Jan. 5 1926.

w. KAl'sLlNG -v SERVICE; METER Filed June 11 1921 zwi/@775mg 2mg ef Emma v I 26,. 22u75" nbft' Patented Jan. 5, 1926.'

' UNITED STATES- 1,568,164 PATENT oFFlce.

WILLIAM`KAISLING', OF CHIGAQO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG- SWITOHBOARD AN D SUPPLY COMPANFOFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' SERVICE METER.

Application led June l1, 1921. Serial No. 476,757.

To t1all 'inkom it maj/- concern,-

i Be =it known thatI, WILLIAM fKAIsmNc,

a citizenof the United States'of America,

and `a lresident of Chicago, county of Cook,

and State of Illinois, have invented cer-4 tain new and usefullmprovements in Service Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to meters and has to do more particularly with service meters which are used in connection with 'telephoneexchange systems, for recording the number of calls answered by an operator.`

' of calls answered by an operator is usuall mounted in the face of the switchboar there being a meter in each operators position. Itis essential that thev meter for purposes of this kind befaccurate in .its

-registration, and to this end I have devised an improved mechanimn in connection with the register or counting train. While I have'pointed out one specific use for the service meter of my invention, it is to beunderstood thatit is adapted for various other uses, such, for example, as the kee ing of a record 'of the calls from a suscribers station.

A featureofmy invention is an improved ratchet and pawl -mechanism in connection connection or a call.

with a register or counting train mechanism,

actuating each time the magnet of the servf ice meter is energized to positively step the registering mechanism ahead to' register a Fig. 3 is an elevation of the service meter looking in a direction opposite that of- Fig. 2; f

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the device as shown in Fig..1;

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 2 with the 1g. 6 1s a perspective portion of the service meter;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the pawl.

^ Referring now more in detail to'my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I illustrate therein theembodiment of my invention.

comprises a register or counting train C of the well known Veeder type, which is -actuated by means of a suitable ratchet'and .pawl mechanism M. A suitable electro-` magnet A is provided -having an energizing winding 3. wound upon a core Zl'between the respective spool head ends 5. vA U-shaped view of the end .p

The service meter heel iron 6 supports the `electroinagnet A as a whole between its legs 6 by' meansof a nut 7 which hasscrew-threaded engagement with a threaded extension 4: of the Vcore/1. Suitable' terminals 8 areprovided for the energizing winding ofthe electromagnet A, the said terminals 8 being secured. to one of the spool heads 5. The terminals 8 extend through openings in the heel iron 6 and -permit the electromagnet .to be connected-to the external circuit with which it is associated. A front plate 10 isprovidedand comprises two angular rearwardly extending members 11 and 1 2 which extend parallel with the legs 6 of the U-shaped heel -iron 6. Screws 13. are proi vided which pass through suitable openings;

in the forward ends of the legs .6 of the ofthe plate 10 to secure the said plate 10 to theheel iron 6,' as illustrated in the several views. To 'mount the Vcounter `train C -to the plate 10 the casing which encloses the counter train is provided with a cylindrical lug' 14 integrally formed with the casi-ng, and a sleeve lsecured to the plate 10 in kany suitable manner, as by means of a staking operation, and is rovided with an opening of a size to receive the lu 14. ,A set screw 16 havin screw-threade engagement with a suitale tapped orifice in .the sleeve 15 holds' the counter C upon the orifices in the angular extensions 11 and 12 plate 10, and a lock nut 17 holds the screw 16 in its set position after it -has been tightened. To prevent rotation of the counter -C in the sleeve 15 after it is in place, the plate 10 is provided with four spaced to receive the armature 20, which is pivotally supported between the ears .by means of the pivot screws 2l. Apawl 22 is provided which is pivotally secured to the freeY end of the armaturel 20 by means of a pivot screw 23 and extends forward through a slot 24 in the plate 10, and coo erates with a ratchet 25 secured to the s aft 26 ofthe counter C. The forward end of the pawl 22 is provided with a rectangular shaped orifice 27I in which a portion of the ratchet 25 rests so that the edge 28 of the orilice 27 engages a tooth 29 of the ratchet 25. A coil spring 30 is provided for holding the armature 20 in its normal retracted position, its one end being secured to a clip 31 fastened to the plate 10 by means of a screw 32, and the other end of spring 30 is attachedto an angular extension 33v integrally Yformed with the pawl 22. The tensionvv of the spring 30 is such asvto exert an upward pull upon the pawl 22, and this upward pull holds the pawl 22 in engagement with the ratchet 25. The rearwardly extending member 12 of the plate 10 serves as an adjustable stop for the armature 20'when in its retracted position, and permits the proper adjustment of stroke of the armature 20, that is, the rearwardly extending member 12, may. be bent inwardly to permit ,a longer stroke of the armature 20, or bent outwardly to shorten thestroke of said armature 20. A

set of Contact springs 34 and 35 for the usual purpose are secured to the lspool hed 5 by means of screws and are moved to their engaging position. A buffer 37 of suitable insulation material is secured to the armature 20, the said buffer 37 engaging' the spring 34 to move it into engagement with the spring 35 upon the attraction of the armature 20. The forward end of the service meter is provided 'with an enclosing cap 40, which encloses the ratchet and pawl mechanism M and counter C, and the face of the cap 40 is provided with an opening of a size to permit the face of the counter C to project through ,a short distance so the register figures are clearly legible.

Now, when the electromagnet A energizes, its armature 20 vis attracted and the pawl 22 moves with it, causing the edge 28 to engage a tooth 29 of the ratchet 25 to advance the ratchet 25 one step, causing shaft 26 to rotate and actuate the registering train to register once. I Upon de-energization the armature 20 is retracted by the spring 30 against the stop l2, and the pawl 22 moves forward, allowing the edge 28 ofthe opening 27 to engage the next tooth 29 of the ratchet 25.

V Vhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure as show, but aim to cover all such changes and modifications as come withinV close the gap between said free ends, anrj armature pivotally supported on said frontl plate, a pawl 'pivotally secured to the armature, a register mechanism secured to the front plate and a shaft therefor having a ratchet secured thereto, a rectangular oriice'in the forward end of said pawl cooperating with said ratchet Ato actuate said register mechanism upon each energization of said electromagnet, and adjustable stopmeans integrally formed with said front platefor regulating the stroke of said armaure.

2. A device of the character described including an electromagnet4 having a U- shaped heel iron, an armature, a front plate secured to and between the free ends of the legs of said Ushaped heel iron and of a size to\ close the gap between said free ends, an angular extension'for said front plate rovided with ears for pivotally supporting an armature, a pawl pivotally secured to said armature and extending forward through said front plate, a'register mechanism secured tonsa-id front plate and provided with a shaft having a ratchet secured thereto, an orifice inthe forward end of said pawl into which said ratchet extends landf cooperates with the said orifice in said pawl to actuate the said register mechanism upon each. attraction of said armature, and adjustable stop-means integrally formed with said front plate for engaging said armature to regulate the ex-A tent of the pivotal movement of said armaure.

3. A device of the character described including an electromagnet having a U- shaped heel iron, an armature, a front late secured to and between the free ends o the legs of said U-shaped heel iron and of a size to close the gap between said free ends',

supporting means for pivotally supporting izoV ' said armature, an adjustable stop integrally .curing .said armature,

, front formed with said front plate for said arma ture, a pawl pivotally secured to said armature and extending' forward through said endo ythe same,` aregister mechanism se.- cured to saidfront plate 'including a, shaft and a ratchet secured thereto, said orifice Ito actuate said register mechanism, and 'spring means one end of which is secured to saldpawl a11d theother end of Whlch :is secured to said front plate for holding said armature in its --normal position and i,

for holding said pawl inoperative relation with saidfratchet. 4. In a device of the character described, \including an electromagnet, a U-shaped member for said electromagnet, a mount'- ing plate lprovided with anopening, an armature pivotally supported on one side and between ears integrally formed with `said `mounting late, rregister mechanism having an extensionfor engaging said o ening in said plate whereby said register mechanism engagesother side of mountmg plate, means for vsecuring said register mechanism to said mounting plate, amember secured to said armature for actuating Lsaid register mechanism, and means ,for seregister mechanism as a unit to andl between the free lends of the legs of said U-sliaped member land in operative relation with' the` core of said electromagnet, said mounting platebein of a size to close the gap between said en s.

5 A device of the character described including an electromagnet having a U- sha ed heel iron, a front plate secured to an between the lfree ends of the legs of -said U-shaped heel iron and of a size to 4close the gap between said freerends, said platebeing provided with an. opening and a plurality of integrallyI formed outwardly 'extending ears in close proximity to said opening, re ister mechanism, means for securing sai register mechanism to said plate, said register mechanism v positioned on s aid plate by said opening and said f Plate, andan orifice in the forward with saidregister in said pawl cooperating .with s aid'ratchetmounting plate and u register mechanism. 6. A device of the character described f including an' electromagnet having a U- sha ed heel iron, a front plate secured to an between the free said U-shaped heel iron and of a size to -close the gap between said free ends, said plate being provided with an opening and inte rally formed outwardly anddownwar ly extending earSLregister mechanism provided with `a casin means for securing said. register mechanism to said plate, .said casing engaging said plate and said ears` to position said register mechanism on said plate, a

tegrally formed with said plate, an armature plvotally supported at its one end between said flange membersand in operative lrelation with said electromagnet, an actuating member -pivotally supported in the other end of said armature Yand extending into operative engagement with said register mechanism for actuating said register mechanism, said plate being adapted to guide said actuating member relative to said register mechanism, an adjustable member integrally formed with said plate guiding said actuating member .rom'

\endsl of the legs of pair of flange members infor regulating' thepivotal movement of said armature, and 4meansfor restoring said armature and actuatmg member to normal position Vupon each deenergization of said electromagnet.

Signed by me at Chicago, in `the county -of Cook and State of Illinois, this 9th day -of June, 1921. v

1 WILLIAM KAISLING. 

